


Coincidences on the Playground

by EBDaydreamer



Series: AU August [7]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Kid Fic, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 20:36:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11859213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EBDaydreamer/pseuds/EBDaydreamer
Summary: According to James Noble, the perks of being a primary school teacher include working with kids, and the downfalls are talking to parents... except this parent.





	Coincidences on the Playground

**Author's Note:**

> doctorroseprompts on tumblr: “Kid’s Teacher”

‘It couldn’t be,’ Doctor James Noble thought to himself as he stared at the woman approaching the school, ‘not after all these years.’

He shook his head: impossible. He was simply seeing things again. He moved his attention to another parent who was Very Concerned. He’d always wanted to be a teacher - he adored kids - but the chattering parents were absolutely not something he enjoyed.

“Mr Noble! Mr Noble!” a hyper voice called to him. “My Mummy’s here! You said to bring her over!”

James was about to reply, but he turned and saw the brown eyes he hadn’t seen in over six years.

Rose Tyler.

It was a whirlwind year. They met in the wake of her losing her job and she became his assistant when he went travelling to write a paper. She was a mere nineteen years old and he had just turned twenty-nine. He had loved her so much. Alas, it was not meant to be, as after just one year - one perfect, blissful year - she and her mum moved to Norway with Jackie’s new husband. They quickly lost touch, though he thought of her often with a clench in his heart. The one that got away, indeed.

But now she was here, with his student Scott Tyler in one arm and his former student Tony Tyler in the other. After his heart skipped a beat he had quickly dismissed their surnames; Tyler wasn’t too uncommon.

“James,” she breathed. “But- what- when- um… hi.”

“Hey,” he exhaled. “Long time no see.”

She shrugged slightly, but her eyes gave away her shock, “Been busy, y’know?”

“I can see,” he said, rubbing his neck, nodding down at the two children.

“Oh,” the mention of the kids appeared to snap her out of her shock, “Tony’s my little brother. Mum was pregnant when we left. Scott’s my son. You’re his teacher?”

“Yep.”

“A primary school teacher, Doctor?” she raised an eyebrow. She was teasing him.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and swayed back on his heels, “Always loved kids, me.” He grinned, “They’re lovely and curious about the world. They can find the fun in learning.”

They stared at each other for a moment, idiotic grins plastered on their faces.

“So, ummm, you’re back.”

“Yeah,” she bit her bottom lip and god he remembered that tantalising lip. “Moved after I had Scottie. Wanted him to grow up on British chips.”

“Ah, of course,” his smile widened. He’d missed her so much. He’d had other relationships since then, but she was the girl - woman, now - with her hands on his heart. No one compared: no one was funny enough; no one laughed the right way; no one’s smile was bright enough; no one made him smile enough. He wasn’t a fool. She was younger and free-spirited - of course, she’d find someone else and move on, but the evidence of that right in front of him stung. Still, he had to ask, “What about Scott’s father?”

He was glad the boy had grown bored and was hanging from the climbing frame with, what James now knew was, his uncle. He wouldn’t dare put him in that conversation if it was an awkward answer.

Which it was. “He’s in Norway. Didn’t want anything to do with him. Honestly, besides the language barrier, it never would’ve lasted between us. I was still…”

“What?” he encouraged, trying to keep the hope out of his voice.

“I was sort of… still,” she mumbled, “Well I was… on the rebound from you.”

He bloody  _ giggled _ .

“Shut up.” Yet she was still smiling.

“I do want to talk to you about Scott, but that could wait until another time. Say, catching up at Platform One this Saturday?”

She gave a soft smile, “That was our first date.”

He smiled back, “We had chips.”

“I paid,” she reminded him.

“I know,” he remembered fondly. “That’s not a problem, is it? No boyfriend, or girlfriend, or-”

“No,” she denied quickly, “hasn’t been for a long time.”

“Good,” he replied a little too quickly.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”


End file.
